Self-cleaning comb



uummunuumn W. J. BLAKE SELF-CLEANING COMB i Filed Jan. 24, 1940 Feb. 25, 1941.

Patented Feb. 25, 1941 UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-CLEANING MB william J. Blake, cleveland, ohio g Application January 24, 1940, Serial No. 315,423

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved construction of self-cleaning comb and aims to provide Aa comb having means, forming a part thereof, for slidably engaging the teeth for cleaning the teeth by movement relatively thereto.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide an attachment having means for readily cleaning the teeth of a comb and means for effectively retaining the attachment in adjusted position relatively to the comb including means for -slidably and frictionally engaging the enlarged end teeth of the comb.

Still a further laim of the invention is to provide a comb having a divided head portion including an upper portion provided with teeth and a lower portion having slots for slidably engaging the teeth and for cleaning the teeth by being moved outwardly relatively thereto.

Other objects and advantages o-f the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, which illustrates preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a comb provided with the cleaning attachment,

Figure 2 is yan enlarged fragmentary side elevational view partly in section of the same,

Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged transverse sectional View taken ysubstantially along the planes of the lines 3-3 and 4-4, respectively, of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 5--5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a side elevational view partly in section of another form of the invention,

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the same, and

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional viewv taken substantially along the plane of the line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference characters `designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, I0 designates generally a comb of conventional construction, as illustrated in Figure 1, having a head II provided with the spaced depending teeth I2 and having the enlarged laterally extending end portions forming the end teeth I3. These parts are lof conventional construction and are shown and described merely to illustarte the application of the attachment I4, which will now be described.

The comb cleaning attachment I4 includes an elongated strip, designated generally I5, which is U-'shaped in cross section and including .the side portions I6 which are normally disposed against the opposite sides of the comb head, a-s best seen in Figure 3 to position the intermediate portion I'I against the underside of the head II. 5 Portion I1 is provided with the spaced transversely Adisposed slots I8, as best seen in Figure 2 for slidably engaging the teeth I2. Sides I6 are provided with the extensions I9 at their ends having socket portions containing expansion springs 2l which extend inwardly of each other t-o abut against the opposite -sides of the enlarged end teeth I3 to slidably and frictionally engage said portions to retain the attachment I4 in adjusted position on the comb I0.

From the foregoing it will be seen, that the springs 2| will retain the attachment I4 in ensagement with the comb head Il so that the intermediate portion I'I will be abutting against the underside of the comb head. Slots I8 closely Y engage the teeth I2 so that by moving the cleaner I4 downwardly or outwardly relatively to the teeth I2 each of the teeth will be scraped on all sides by the portion I'I. During this downward or outward movement the springs 2| will slidably engage the end teeth I3. It is only necessary to move the attachment I4 until the intermediate portion I1 has cleared the terminal ends of the teeth I2 in which position the attachment will be held by means of the springs 2| which will still be in engagement with end teeth I3 and while in this position the intermediate portion I1 may be scraped and thoroughly cleaned after which the attachment may be moved upwardly or inwardly relatively to' the teeth and back to its initial position, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5.

In Figures 6 to 8, another form of the invention is shown wherein the cleaning means forms a part of the comb and designated generally 22 and including a head designated generally 23 which is divided lengthwise along the line 24 to form the sections 25 and 26.

The lower section 25 includes a bar 21 provided with spaced transverse slots 28. Section 25 also includes the enlarged portions 29 which project laterally from the ends of the bar 2'I to form the end teeth of the comb 22.

The section 26 includes an upper bar 30 forming the upper half of the comb head 23 which is adapted to abut against the upper edge of the bar 21 and against the upper ends of the teeth 29. Bar 30 is provided with the spaced depending teeth 3I which extend through the slots 28 and which are slidably disposed therein. As indicated in Figure 6, the teeth at one end of the 55 bar 30 may be ner than the teeth at the opposite end thereof in which case the slots at the corresponding end of the bar 2'| will be smaller than those at the opposite end of said bar so that the ne as Well as the coarse teeth will be closely yet slidably engaged by the bar 21.-

In Figure 6, the comb 22 is shown fully assembled and ready for use. When it becomes necessary to clean the teeth 3| the upper bar 30 is pulled upwardly relatively to the section 25 to retract the teeth 3| and cause them to move up- Wardly through the slots 28 in the bar 21 to thereby scrape the accumulated dirt from both sides and both edges of the teeth 3|. Teeth 3| are r-etracted until they clear the lower edge of the bar 21 after which said edge may be readily scraped and cleaned. Teeth 3| are then projected to return the sections 25 and 26 to their assembled positions, as seen in Figure 6, so that the comb will again be ready for use.

Various modications and changes are contem- 'plated and may obviously be resorted to.

I claim as my invention:

1. A cleaning attachment for combs comprising an elongated strip having a longitudinal row of transversely disposed slots, arranged intermediate of the side edges thereof :for slidably engaging the teeth of a comb, the intermediate portion of the strip being normally disposed against the under side of the comb head, the longitudinal edge portions of the strip being bent upwardly to form anges for engaging the sides of the comb head, and said flanges being provided With extensions at their ends having rspring means for resiliently and frictionally engaging the ends of the comb head and the enlarged terrninall comb teeth for retaining the attachment in a plurality of adjusted positions on the comb.

2. A cleaning attachment as in claim 1, said means including inwardly opening sockets formed in the extensions, and expansion coil springs disposed in the sockets for engaging the comb head and terminal teeth.

WILLIAM `J. BLAKE. 

